US1328202A - Processing apparatus for canned products - Google Patents

Description

A. C. RICHARDSON.

PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR CANNED PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1919.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- IIH IIII R.

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A. C. RICHARDSON.

PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR CANNED PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG,27, l9l9i Patented J an. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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ALAN C. RICHARDSON, 015 SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND.

PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR CANNED PRODUCTS.-

Application filed August 27, 1919. Serial No. 320,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALAN C. RICIlAlZDSON, a citizen of the United States, residmg at 'Silver Spring, in the county of Montgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processing Apparatus for Canned Products, of which the following is a specification.

In processing canned goods in steam heat ed retorts, it has been found desirable to roll or move the cans to agitate their contents for the purpose of accelerating the distribution of heat throughout their eon---.

tents. The processing temperature maintained in the retort is generally the highest temperature which the can contents Will stand without injury from the heat, and this temperature is maintained practically constant in the retort throughout the processing operation. It is possible to shorten the time of processing the can contents by raising the temperature in the retort .above the normal processing temperature for a shortperiod of time, at the commencement of the operation, while the can contents are being heated to the normal processing temperature. Thus, at the commencement of the operation, if the can contents are agitated so that the heat Will be conducted quickly away from the Walls of the can and distributed throughout the mass, the temperature in the retort may he raised above the normal processing temperature until the can contents have been heated throughout to the latter temperature. After the can contents have been heated to the processing temperature, a continuation of the higher temperature in the retort would injuriously affect the contents. Therefore, during the remainder of the processing operation, the temperature in the retort must be reduced to the normal processing temperature.

In carrying out my invention, 1 have provided means for agitating the filled cans in a closed retort and means for maintaining a ten'iperature above the normal processin temperature for a predetermined time, su ficient to heat the can contents throughout to the processing temperature, after Whlch the agitation of the cans is stopped and the temperature in the retort is reduced to the normal processing temperature and this Is continued until the operation has been completed, As a means for moving the cans to agitate their contents, I provide a small self-regulating steam engine for each retort and this engine may be-employed to regulate the pressure and temperature within the retort so as to maintain a relatively high temperature in the retort while the can contents are being heated to the processing temperature, and to maintain a relatively lower temperature in the retort thereafter until the processing has been completed. Also, as it is unnecessary to agitate the cans after the contents have become heated to the normal processing temperature, I have provided means for stopping the agitation simultaneously with the reduction in temperature in the retort.

In order to utilize the engine for these purposes, the steam supply pipe is connected to the retort and the engine receives its supply of steam from the retort. A speed governor on the engine controls a throttle valve in the steam supply pipe and hence controls the admission of steam to the retort and to the engine. With this arrangement, a load which tends to slow down the speed of the engine will cause an adjustment of the throttle valve and an increase in the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 'J an. 13, 1920.,

pressure within the retort and in the engine cylinder, and a decrease in the load will have the reverse effect, reducing the pressure in the retort and the engine cylinder. The retort contains a can carrier operated by the engine and this carrier, filled with cans, constitutes a load on the engine which op-. crates to maintain a relatively high pressure, and temperature, in the retort, at the commencement of the processing operation.

After a predetermined time, sufficient to alcomplete the processing, the steam is cut oil and cold water is admitted to cool the cans and their contents. The invention also ipyolves improvements n the cooker and m detail's'which will be clear from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawlng, 1n,wh1ch:.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a rotating cooker made in accordance with my improvements and showing the means for operating the same and automatically controlling Y the temperature;

Fig. 2. 4

Fig, 2 is a -central,-vertical section through the same, taking on the line of the retort shaft; and,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of I Referring a retort, which is in the form of a drum, carried by suitable suppo'rtsl. Within the retort is a small cylinder or drum B, which is secured to a fixed shaft 2, the'latter passing centrally through the retort, and secured at its ends to the sidewalls 3 and 4 of the retort. A can carrier C is arranged within the retort and comprises two disks or spiders 5, which are journaled upon the fixed shaft 2 between the ends of the drum B'and, the

side walls of the retort. A series of partitions 6, arranged radially to the axis of the retort and equally spaced apart, extend j between the spiders 5 in the space between I the cylinders B and the peripheral wall 7 of the retort. These partitions are secured to the spiders 5 and divide the space between thecylinder B and the peripheral wall of the retort into a series of pockets 8, for

pockets, and it is also provided with a door 9 in its lower half which may be opened to permit cans to roll out. When the carrier is being loaded with cans, it may be held against rotation, in any desired position, by moving a latch 10 into position to engage one of the partitions adjacent to door 8". Any other suitable means may be employed for holding the carrier while the cans are being loaded into or. unloaded the retort, is arranged a three-way valve 29,-

from the pockets."

It will be evident thatwhen the-pockets are filled with cans and the carrier is rotated, the cans in the inner ends of the pockets above the axis of the machine will be frictionally'rotatedby their engagement.

with the drum B, and that when the pockets pass the horizontal line. the cans will drop to the larger ends of the pockets and the outermostcans will roll against the cylindrical wall of the retort. The rolling-motion imparted to the cans directly in engagement with-the inner drum or the peripheral wall of the retort, will impart a rolling mo to the drawings, A indicates tion to the rest of the cans in the pocket. Thus, during each revolution of the can carrier, the contents of the cans will be agitated both by therolling motion and by the movement of the cans as they drop inwardly and outwardly in the pockets.

The carrier is provided with a gear 11, which engages a pinion 12, one short shaft 13, which extends through the wall 3 of the retort, and this shaft carries a bevel gear 14, which meshes with a similar gear 15, on a vertically arranged shaft 16. This latter shaft carries a clutch member '17, adapted to be'engaged by a complementary clutch member vl8, upon a drive shaft 16*, which is geared to a steam. engine D, As shown, the engine shaft is provided with a bevel gear 19, which enga es a similar gear 20,

on the drive shaft. T 'e engine is preferably asmall engine having a relatively high speed. The steam for operating the engine is delivered through a pipe 21, in which is arranged a hand valve 22 and a throttle valve 23. From the throttle valve, this pipe leads into the lower part of the retort, and an exhaust pipe 24- leads from the upper part of the retort to the steam chest of the en-- gine D. The throttle valve is controlled by a governor 25, on the shaft 16 which raises and lowers a lever 26, adjustably connected to the stem of the throttle valve. Thus, in

the system of piping just described, the retort is interposed between the throttle valve and the engine cylinder, and the admission of steam to the retort and to the engine cylinder is controlled by the engine governor and the throttle valve. 1

For the purpose of admitting steam directly to the engine cylinder when desired,

without passing through the retort, a threewhich can beset in one position to admit steam from the retort directly to the engine, and in another position to cut ofl the steam from the engine and connect the upper portion of the pipe 24 with a pipe 30. -A pipe 31, leading from the boiler, is connected to the pipe 30 through a hand valve 32, and a pipe 33, connected to a source of cold w;ater, leads through a hand valve 34 to the pipe 30. By setting the valve 29 so as tov connect the pipe 30 with the upper portion of the pipe 24 and to close 03 the lower part Of 3 d latter p1pe,-'live steam, or cold fl- 0 ter, can be delivered through the upper portion of the pipe 24 into the retort, when desired; or by setting the valve 2!) in another position, the pipe 30 will be cut off and comnuinication will be established through the pipe 24 from the retort to the engine cylinder. It will be understood that when valve 27 is set to admit stean'i into the engine cylinder. without passing through the retort, the valve 29 will be set so as to close off the lower part of the pipe 24, and in this position it will connect the pipe 30 with the upper portion of the pipe 24.

The clutch member 18 is constantly pressed toward the member 17 by a spring 35, and when said members are engaged and the engine is in operation, the can carrier will be rotated at a. practically constant speed. I have provided means for dis-engaging the clutch after the can carrier has been rotated for a pre-determined number of revolutions. or, in other words, after ,a 'pre-detern'iined lapse of time, since the speed is constant. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for throwing out the clutch. In the drawing, 1' have shown a worm 36, upon the shaft 16, and this worm engages a worm' wheel 37, mounted upon a stud 38. Attached to the worm wheel is a single tooth pinion 39, adapted'to engage a star wheel 40. ()n a stud 41, which supports the star wheel, is pivotally mounted a lever 42, having a cam surface 42, at its free end. This lever may be swung about the axis of the star wheel 40 and secured in any position of adjustment by a pin 43 in the lever, which is adapted to engage any one of a circular series of holes 44 in the star wheel. The clutch lever 45, for depressing the clutch member 18, is arranged so that it will be engaged by the cam lever 42 as the latter rotates with the star wheel, and this will move the clutch lever to disengage the clutch.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The cam lever 42 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 1. to engage the clutch, and is set in a position on the star wheel which will cause it to throw out the clutch after a certain lapse of time, determined by to the engine and by turning the valve 2!) so as to direct steam from the pipe 31, through pipe 24, to the retort, and by opening the valves 22 and 23. As a certain amount of condensation takes place in the retort, some minutes will be required to heat the retort and raise the pressure therein to the point where the engine may be operated by the exhaust steam from the retort. pressure gage 46 enables the operator to determine when the pressure withinthe retort is suitable for onerating the engine, and a blow-off valve 4 is provided for relieving excess pressure.

After the pressure in the retort has risen sufiicientl y to operate the engine, the valves 27 and 29 are turned so as to direct the steam through the pipe 21 into the retort and from the retort through pipe 24 to the engine. The engine will then be operated by the steam pressure in the retort, and the governor which controls the admission of steam to the retort will maintain the speed of the engine practically constant. As the engine is now operating under load, a greater pressure will be required than if the engine were operating idly. Hence, the pressure and temperature within the retort will be at its highest. The lever 42 having been set opposite-one or the other of the pin holes 44, according to the known time required to heat the can contents throughout to the processing temperature, as the speed is practically constantfthis lever will, after a pre-determined lapse of time, engage the clutch lever and throw out the clutch there by stopping the rotation of the can carrier.

During this period, the temperature within the retort will have been above the normal processing temperature. After the can contents have been heated throughout to the processing temperature, no further advantage is to be gained by. continuing the agitatlon of the cans and, also, it becomes necessary to reduce the temperature within the retort to approximately the processing temperature, in order to avoid injury to the can contents by heat. This reduction in temperature in the retort is accomplished automatically by the release of the clutch which throws the load oil ol the engine and allows the latter to run. idly. When the load is thrown oil, the governor automatically adjusts the throttle valve to cut down the flow of steam through the retort to the engine cylinder, and hence. reduces the pressure and the temperature in the retort. By suitably adjusting the governor and its connections to the throttle valve, the normal processing temperature may be maintained in the retort as long as desired by allowing the engine to operate idly. The engine is allowed to operate idly as long as may be. necessary to complete the processing after the can contents have been heated to the processing temperature. The engi no will automatically adjust the. throttle valve to compensate for the. ordinary fluctuations in boiler pressure, thus serving the purpose of a pressure reg lating mechanism.

What I claim is:

After the goods have been processed, the valve 22 is closed to stop the engine and cut ofl steam from the retort, and the valve 29 is turned to connect the pipe 30 with pipe 24, and cold Water is then admitted to the retort, to cool the cans, by opening the valve 34.

If desired, the drum and the inner peripheral Wall of the retort, which form ends for the pockets, may be covered with a'suitable non-metallic material to prevent abrasion of the cans. 4

1. In a processing apparatus, a retort, means for agitating cans therein and for maintaining a temperature in the retort above the normal processingtemperature at the commencement of the processing operation, and means for automatically reducing the temperature in the retort to the normal processing temperature after a predetermined lapse of time.

2. In a processing apparatus, a retort, means for agitating cans therein and'for maintaining a relatively high temperature in the retort While the cans are belng agitated, and means for automatically stopping the agitation of the cans and for reducing j 4:. In a processing apparatus, a retort,

means for moving cans therein, a steam engine for operating said means, connections for admitting steam through the retort to the engine, a throttle valve controlling the admission of steam to the retort, a governor operated by the engine for controlling said throttle valve, and means for disconnecting the engine from the can-moving means after a pre-determined lapse of time. 5. In a processing apparatus, a retort, can agitating means therein, a motor for operating said means, and means for automatically disconnecting the motor from said agitating means after the latter has been operated for a pre-determined time. p

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. ALAN C. RICHARDSON.

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